The Last Kurta
by Bananas102
Summary: When out and about, Leorio, Kurapika, Killua, and Gon find themselves in the middle of what at first seems like a bank robbery, until the man in charge demands a certain Kurta in exchange for the freeing of the hostages. And he's ready to do whatever it takes for Kurapika's scarlet eyes. (Takes place after Killua's rescue from his home, but before the group splits up.)
1. Chapter 1

It was a delicacy he'd only laid eyes on once in his life, a beauty so bold and dazzling it shocked him to the core, creating a desire that soon boiled over into an obsession.

If it was the last thing he did, the man would see them again.

He would once again see the scarlet eyes of a Kurta.

* * *

><p>"Kurapika!" The blonde raised his head, soft grey eyes finding the two boys the loud cry came from. Gon and Killua were pretty roughed up, scrapes and bruises on their faces and any skin that could be seen.<p>

He blinked in confusion. "What have you two been up to?" Gon beamed. "We were just messing around." Kurapika smiled, setting down the newspaper on the bench, nicely folded, for the next person.

Leorio came out of the small cafe, yawning, with his glasses askew on his face.

Kurapika frowned, eyes staring down the street. "What is it?" Gon asked, looking up at him with innocent caramel eyes. The boy looked over at him, shaking his head and sending him a reassuring smile.

"Nothing. Just a feeling."

Leorio eyes him suspiciously, but soon shrugged it off. "C'mon then," he yawned, "Let's go." Killua merely adjusted the skateboard he had tucked under one arm. Then he spun rather gracefully on his heels and started walking down the sidewalk. Within moments, Gon was shouting and running after him while Leorio yelled at the both of them.

Down the road, a black van sat in waiting, the occupants ready and waiting for their next orders. "Have you spotted the target?" The officer huffed. "No, sir. We know the target is one of the small group of four we've been watching, but as to which one...we don't know."

The man swore, slamming a fist down onto the computer console in front of him, the force breaking some of the keys. He turned to the large man sitting in the shadows behind him. "Your time is almost up. Are you ready?"

He received a grunt as answer. "Good." He looked back to the officers.

"Find out where they are going, and when they get there, lock down the building."

* * *

><p>"Come on, Gon!" Killua grabbed Gon's arm, dragging the startled boy into a bank. "What are we doing here?" The white-haired boy rolled his eyes. "We don't have much money left, so I'm getting more."<p>

Gon's eyes went wide. "Just like that?" He grinned. "Awesome!" Kurapika quickly slipped in after them , not quite trusting the small boys to stay out of trouble. Leorio turned around and scowled. "Hey! Where did you go?"

A muted tap, and Leorio turned his head to see Kurapika smirking at him from behind the glass. Leorio's scowled deepend and he grumbled to himself, throwing open the door and sauntering inside.

"Why are we in here, anyway?" Kurapika gestured to the two chatty boys currently engaging a clerk behind the counter. "Killua noticed our money supply was running low, so he's withdrawing some."

Leorio flushed a little. "Oh."

"Everybody, down!" a voice shouted. Almost a dozen men filed into the room, each carrying impressive looking weapons. Some of the civilians began to scream, clamouring over each other and trying to run to exit, but becoming increasing panicked upon discovering the only one was blocked.

In a flair of movie-like drama, a man in a sleek black suit emerged from the fray of soldiers. "Everyone, please calm down," he called, repeating the message without sign of irritation until the screaming died down to low murmurs and scared whimpers.

"I am here for only one reason. Not the bank's money, nor you people." He was tall and sleek, with narrow shoulders and cropped black hair that contrasted to his extremely pale skin.

His black beady eyes peered at every single person in the room. "There is a Kurta in this room." Kurapika inhaled sharply, while his comrades sent him frantic glances. "Until they give themselves up, we will be holding everyone here as a hostage." Kurapika made to move forward, but a hand on his arm stopped the blonde in his tracks.

"You can't give yourself up. I have a feeling that they're too strong for us," Gon whispered.

Kurapika looked around frantically at his friends. "What do we do? Even if I don't turn myself in, I can't hide forever."

Leorio eyed the man in charge coldly. "We'll just have to wait," he murmured, shuffling along with the others to sit against the wall as instructed by one of the kidnappers.

"It's really all we can do."


	2. Chapter 2

Kurapika sat with his knees drawn up against him and his head down so his blonde hair fell over his face.

The man in charge sat patiently for hours at a time in a chair, watching everybody. His dark gaze flickered to their small group and Gon held his breath. Killua, on the other hand, met his gaze.

The other visibly swallowed and looked away for a while, leaving the assassin pleased, but was soon back to looking at them again. Suddenly, the man beckoned a soldier forth with a wave of his hand. The soldier leaned down and the man whispered in his ear.

The soldier crossed the room to another, murmuring to him in a low voice. Killua caught the name Mr. Red in the mix. He turned and subtly leaned over to nudge his friend.

"Hmm?" Killua whispered to Gon, "I think the guy's name is Mr. Red." Gon frowned, but nodded in acknowledgement and shifted so he could whispered it to Leorio, who passed it on to Kurapika.

The blonde froze, arms clenched around his knees. Leorio gazed at him worriedly. "Kurapika, what's wrong?" At first he didn't answer, just sat there with his eyes wide, almost disbelieving.

The younger boy swallowed hard. "Mr. Red. He's one of the largest collectors in the world. But he only collects one thing nowadays."

Leorio pushed his glasses up his nose. "What is it?" he asked. Kurapika's eyes began to smoulder, fading into that gorgeous red. "He collects Kurta eyes," he hissed, almost completely shaking from fury.

Leorio rubbed a hand over his face. "Oh, jeez." Kurapika glared at Red, but Leorio quickly shoved his head downwards so he was glaring at his lap. "Do you want to get caught?"

Kurapika didn't answer, not that Leorio really expected him to. He sighed, scooching over a few inches so he was closer to Gon and Killua. "Kurapika knows who that is," he told them. The older boy filled Gon in on how he collects the eyes of Kurapika's clan, and then Gon relayed everything to Killua, who seemed less than pleased, but also admired Red to a degree.

"Why?" Gon asked when Killua told him just that. "I don't like that he's here for Kurapika. But still, being known around the world for being the collector of a rare eye that contains one of the rarest colors in the world. It's an impressive title to hold." Gon didn't agree nor disagree.

The front door to the bank opened, and a soldier came in, followed by a large man. When Kurapika laid eyes on the man, a shiver ran down his spine. He had brown hair and fair skin. Sewn up scars littered his face, around the mouth and below an eye.

Perhaps large was too general a term. The man was massive, with muscled arms and broad shoulders. For some reason, his shirt was strewn over the crook of one arm. "Franklin," Red called, sounding a little too friendly. Franklin glowered, but walked over to him, so half of the room had a clear view of his back. Leorio stomach plummeted.

Gon's eyes went wide, and even Killua looked surprised. Slowly, the heads of all three went from the intricate spider tattoo to Kurapika. By now, his eyes had gone back to their soft grey, the color of a rainy day.

They watched his eyes count every leg on the spider and his mental conclusion that there was twelve. They watched his eyes drift down to take in the number etched in on the spider's thorax.

They watched his eyes _burn_.

It was like Kurapika was in a daze, or that he was just a puppet on strings, swaying to and fro. He got to his feet and stumbled forward, irises blazing their beautiful hue. They were even brighter then they were on the day Kurapika fought against the serial killer who tried to trick him into thinking he was one of the Phantom Troupe.

"I'll..kill...you."

Both Franklin and Red turned. A grin spread across Red's face, which was filled with impossible amount of happiness, like a druggie being faced with a giant mound of his favourite stash.

Franklin, however, raised an eyebrow, regrading the strange boy curiously. "You're one of the Kurta. Somehow you survived." Kurapika seethed hatred, eyes as brilliant as the rising sun.

"I'll kill you." His hands shook where they were clenched into fists at his side.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" he screamed, launching himself forward. "Kurapika!" Leorio shouted, frightened at the stupidity of his normally composed friend. Gon gasped, hand reaching out like he was going to follow the blonde, but Killua held him back.

Franklin dodged Kurapika's blow and simply snatched the teen by his throat. In his fury, Kurapika had left himself wide open for any and all attacks. As soon as the criminal closed his hand around his throat, he went limp.

Red stood, crossing his arms. A hand reached for Franklin's wrist. It grabbed it and twisted, making Franklin hiss in annoyance, but it did it's work, for Kurapika was dropped to the ground.

His three friends tossed logic out the window and leapt to their feet, ready to take on any opponent in the room. Kurapika knelt on the floor, panting, his fist braced on the cool tile.

_He's so strong. I twisted his arm with everything I had. I...I can't beat him. _

His thoughts were interrupted when a stinging sensation erupted into the back of his neck. He got to his feet, a strangled gasp caught in his throat. "Kurapika!" Gon yelled, jumping over one of the soldiers to catch Kuapika before he crumpled to the floor.

The red faded to gray before his eyes slipped under closed lids. "What the hell did you do?" Leorio growled. Red blinked innocently. "It's merely a tranquilizer." Killua stepped forward, bloods coating his fingers. Three soldiers lay in a heap, smears of blood created red streaks on the white floor.

Kurapika was ripped from Gon's arms by Franklin. Gon growled and aimed a punch at the thug's face. It was quickly dodged, and one was dished back in return. With a vengeance. Gon went flying, slamming into the far wall so hard cracks traveled up to the ceiling.

"Gon!" Killua leapt over a desk and went skidding to Gon's side. The boy was out cold, trickles of blood coming from his nose.

Leorio paused, his fist gripping the hilt of his knife so hard, he was halfway surprised it didn't snap beneath his grasp. Franklin had both meaty hands around Kurapika's neck, ready to snap it before either could blink. Red sighed in pleasure from the aquisition of his prize, and walked out with a infuriating air of confidence.

Franklin went after him, and with him, went Kurapika.


	3. Chapter 3

Kurapika woke to a sharp throb in his temples. He cracked open his eyes, quickly turning his head to the side when harsh bright light flooded in. "You awake?" a voice asked. Kurapika frowned. He didn't recognize it.

Wait.

He shot up into a sitting position, his eyes blazing scarlet. His headache kicked in with a vengeance when he did so, making him wince. Red was sitting in a swivel chair next to the bed Kurapika realized he was chained to, looking at him like someone would look at a beloved pet.

"You know, I've collected twenty-four of the thirty six pairs of Scarlet Eyes left in the world?" Kurapika gritted his teeth, glaring at him. The Phantom Troupe member was long gone, the blonde was sure of that. He was most likely paid to just bring him out of hiding, nothing more.

Red continued, "But not a single one compared to the time I'd seen them in a person. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen." He gazed at Kurapika almost loving, which made him feel sick. No, he wasn't at Kurapika. He was looking at his eyes.

"For years I tried looking for Kurta survivors, but I never found a single one. Honestly, I thought I'd never see the true vibrancy of the Scarlet Eyes again." Red grinned. "Until now."

Kurapika spat, "I'm not some exhibit!" Red crossed his arms, leaning back in the chair. "Oh? You're the sole bearer of the Scarlet Eyes, a rare thing indeed. In what way are you not appealing to the most wealthy collectors?" The boy growled, tugging on the ridiculously thick chains that were locked securely around each wrist and ankle.

"I could sell you to someone else, but then they'd probably just kill you and take your eyes. Me, however, prefer to see them in someone. It's makes their hue all the more brilliant."

He let his eyes slipped closed, enjoying whatever memory he was wrapped in. Kurapika glanced away in disgust. How could someone take pleasure in something aquired by so much blood? So much death?

"I'm not your pet," he retorted sourly. Red shrugged. "Say what you wish, it does not matter to me."

He reached over and cupped Kurapika's jaw so he could tilt his head and get a better look at Kurapika's eyes, which had faded back to their normal color. The boy twisted his head out of Red's grasp, snapping his teeth in an attempt to bite him.

"Feisty," Red commended. "You are deserving of your eyes." He rose from the chair. "As much as I would love to stay, I have work to get done. Enjoy your alone time because I'll be back, and when I am, I'll want to see those eyes."

* * *

><p>"How do we find him?" Gon asked.<p>

Killua peered at him like he'd grown a second head. "That's easy. We can just look up the location of Mr. Red's estate." The look on Leorio and Gon's faces suggested they hadn't even thought of that.

"Then we've got to find a computer," Leorio said. Gon nodded, gingerly poking at the dark bruise on his face. "Where can we find one?"

Hour Later:

Killua frowned at Leorio. "How come it took so long to find a computer?" The older boy scowled. "The owner didn't want us using it, so I had to argue just so I could bribe the guy." The white-haired kid scoffed.

Gon pulled up a picture and description of the house. His brown eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "Whoa." Leorio gaped. "Are you kidding me? We'll never find Kurapika in there!"

The house was eleven stories tall with about three hundred rooms and only a few windows per floor, and that was only the surface levels. Underground there were six extra floors, most of which served as the holding places for Red's most precious items.

"We have to assume Kurapika will be there," Killua said.

Leorio nodded. "Killua's right. I don't think Mr. Red really thinks of Kurapika as a person, more like a possession. And keeping him in a lower level would be smarter because of the higher security, keeping both people out and Kurapika in."

"I get it," Gon said.

"It'll take us a few hours to get there by train, so we should go as soon as possible," Leorio told them, pushing up his glasses. Gon nodded. "I agree. Let's go!" He started out the door, Killua hot on his heels.

"Hey! Hey! Wait for me!"

* * *

><p>As soon as Kurapika was alone, he started catalouging his surroundings. It was a large empty room, void of anything but the bed he was chained to and the two doors. The floor was concrete, while the walls looked to be steel.<p>

There were no windows, and the door looked to be steel as well. Kurapika twisted his wrists, trying to find a way to squeeze his hand through the cuff. Eventually he even tried dislocating his fingers to get his hand through, but it was too tight.

"Damn," he hissed.

Kurapika discovered a problem a few hours later. He had no way of using the bathroom. He flushed a deep red when he realized the problem, and was forced to take a breath.

He surmised that the second door in the corner was the bathroom, considering it was nothing more than cheap wood. "Hello?" he called. There was no answer, and for a second, Kurapika wondered if he was really on his own. "I really need to use the bathroom," he said as loudly as he could, trying to keep above the situation and any embaressment to a minimum.

A few minutes later, and the door opened slowly with a creak to reveal one of the soldiers that participated in his capture. "Hey, kid," the man greeted, a little too friendly for Kurapika's liking.

"I'm going to unlock the cuffs. The bathroom is over there," he told the boy, nodding his head towards the corner door. Kurapika eyes the man suspiciously. He had to know the risk in letting him free, especially since the front door was still wide open.

But the soldier didn't seem to be bothered at all by it, or even notice the fact.

Kurapika couldn't help but be relieved as the cuffs fell from his limbs and proper circulation returned to his hands. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and rose to his feet, walking swiftly to the bathroom and slipping inside.

There wasn't a singe way to escape, nor any items that could possibly help him. All there was in the small space was a toilet, a sink, and a roll of toilet paper.

When Kurapika stepped out of the bathroom, the soldier was leaning against the wall looking almost bored. Kurapika glanced at him, then the door. He took off, his feet moving swiftly as he sprinted across the room.

He was so close to the door that if he reached out, he could touch it. Suddenly, he was flying backwards, and he hit the opposite wall so hard his vision went white. "Sorry, kid. But you're not leaving," a voice told him before he sank into the depths of unconsiousness.


	4. Chapter 4

Gon looked up at the estate. "It's really big," he said. Killua eyed it disapprovingly. "Not really," he murmured to himself.

Leorio scratched his head. "So where do we get in?" Killua pointed to a metal disk in the center of what seemed to be nothing more than a patch of grass. He pulled the disk up, revealing a man hole. "This is for when the building comes under attack or something, and needs to get out quickly without being seen," Killua explained.

The older boy nodded. "I see. Killua, you should lead the way. I'll be in the middle and Gon can cover our backs." Killua raised an eyebrow. "It seems a bit ironic you're the one in the safest location."

Leorio sputtered. "It's not like I'm scared or anything!" Killua grunted and slipped gracefully into the hole, dropping soundlessly into the tunnel. Leorio clambered down next, followed by Gon, who closed the cover behind them.

The three were enveloped by complete darkness. "I can't see a thing," Leorio whispered.

Gon started walking in one direction. "I think it's this way," he said, nose sniffing the air. Killua resigned himself to following Gon's nose and trying to ignore the curses Leorio kept grumbling to himself every time he tripped.

* * *

><p>"I'm almost insulted that you tried to run."<p>

Kurapika was on the bed and chained again, except with a giant bruise on his scalp and a minor concussion. Red was back in a swivel chair next to him, arms crossed, and looking a bit amused.

The boy sent him a heated glare. "Oh, come now. Don't be like that," Red admonished. "How can't I?" Kurapika raged, "When you keep me locked up in here for nothing more than your own sick obsession!"

Red shrugged.

"I won't deny it. I like you being here. You're an exotic artifact, no matter how much you declare yourself a person." Red watched him through slitted eyes. "The world dehumanizes you because of your eyes."

Kurapika frowned. "People would kill in order to possess you. They'd pay over millions of dollars just to see you. Tell me, how can you live in such a world?" Red was trying to push him, get him angry. Kurapika inhaled deeply, then exhaled. He had to stay calm.

"How? You've been abandoned, ripped from your home with your friends and family killed by a murderous gang, just to be halted in your efforts by me." Kurapika kept talking to himself in his head. Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm.

But from Red's delighted expression, it hadn't worked. He sighed and Kurapika nearly growled at him. Instead, Kurapika slowed his breathing and closed his eyes, earning hiss of annoyance from his captor, which was strangely pleasing.

When he opened them again, he was calmed. Red scowled. "Honestly. If you don't earn your keep, I can just find way to _make _those eyes turn scarlet." Kurapika looked away, refusing to be threatened.

Suddenly, Red's phone rang, and the business man scooted back and reached into his pocket, sliding the phone to his ear just as he answered the call. His tone was light and friendly, but his face darkened considerably when he heard the voice on the other end of the line.

"Sorry, my friend, but it's not going to happen. He'll be staying under my care." Red hung up quickly. Kurapika raised an eyebrow. "Comrade of yours?" The man grinned. "You could say that. He's got a fetish for anything extraordinarily rare, so he's trying to buy you off me. But don't worry," he said, reaching over and ruffling Kurapika's hair.

"I won't let the little bastard take you from me. Just sit tight." Another pat, and the thin man was shimmying out the door. Kurapika yanked on the chains in a fit of frustration before letting his aching head rest on his knee.

Then, for the first time in years, he whispered something that reminded the world of just how young Kurapika still was and that the boy hadn't grown up quite just yet.

"I want to go home."

* * *

><p>Killua called up, "If you drop me, I"ll beat the crap out of you." The ledge was pretty high, so, at the moment, only someone of Leorio's height could bring them up.<p>

"Shut up," Leorio growled, one hand keeping a tight grip on the back of Killua's shirt. They hadn't really anticipated security in the tunnel, so when Killua missed one of the invisible lasers, he was surprised enough to not be able to get out of the way of the miniscule dart that had the entire lower half of his body numb.

Then, of course, he had fallen onto Gon, who fell into a laser. And was currently in the same boat as his white-haired friend.

Gon was draped over one of Leorio's shoulders, and the older boy was using his free arm to try and hoist himself up and over the ledge, all while trying not to drop the two smaller boys.

Given that Leorio was most likely the weakest per physical strength, not that he would ever admit it, the trio had landed themselves in a bit of a pickle. Leorio couldn't hoist all three of them up, and at the height they were at, he couldn't let go either.

So they all hung there awkwardly.

"Can't you just swing me up?" Killua snapped, already severely tired of the feeling of being wet laundry being hung up on a clothesline. "I would, but there's another person I my shoulder, so I can't move it," he bit out through clenched teeth, a tick mark appearing on his temple.

Gon flushed. "Sorry," he said, but a second later, and the black-haired boy was roaming the funnel with his eyes, trying to surmise a way to get them all up unharmed. Or mostly unharmed. Or maybe just up.

"Hey," he began. Both of the other boys looked at him in irritation. "What?" they huffed unaminously. Gon smiled sheepishly, a hand creeping up to scratch at the back of their neck.

"If Leorio stay still, I might be able to pull myself across the back of his shoulder and onto the ledge using my arms." Leorio looked t him like he was going crazy. "That's not safe! You could fall!" Killua looked up. "Do it!"

"What?!" Leorio yelled. "We don't have another choice," Killua ground out. Gon was already moving, gripping the back of Leorio's jacket and sliding across his shoulders. As Gon wriggled around in an attempt to both go forward and stay on Leorio, the elder thanked whatever high power was present that no one else was there to see them, because they most certainly looked ten ways of stupid.

But Gon managed to grab the ledge and roll onto it. Leorio let out a groan as he lifted Killuanow that his shoulder was free, sighing in relief as the weight vanished from his arm as soon as he dumped Killua on the ledge.

The assassin grumbled at him, but Leorio was too busy pulling himself up to care. When he did, he let a silly grin come onto his face and proceeded to lie on the floor. Killua eyes him warily. "What are you doing?"

Leorio pulled himself up with a groan, in the back of his mind noticing Gon was watching him too. "I figure we can wait until the darts wear off so we can all go in there in top shape." Gon beamed. "That's a good idea. Kurapika will be okay!"

Killua rolled his eyes, using his arms to lay himself down. "Whatever," he sighed.


End file.
